Oppose the cuts to firefighter pay!
Petition to Congress:
Oppose Senator Sinema’s new bill to cut the pay of wildland firefighters.
Wildland firefighters put their lives on the line to combat blazes every time a wildfire breaks out. Yet they are severely underpaid and don’t get the benefits they deserve.
In 2021, President Biden tried to address this issue by implementing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which temporarily increased firefighter paychecks by 50%.1 But that increase in firefighter pay is set to expire this September.
Instead of extending the pay raises, Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema just introduced a bill that would severely cut firefighter wages. This bill would slash the raises firefighters got in 2021 in half, stripping a large chunk of pay from frontline firefighters.2 Wildland firefighters deserve to keep their pay raise and full benefits.
Sign the petition: Tell Congress to oppose Sinema’s efforts to cut firefighter pay.
Every year, millions of acres of land burn across the country, and wildland firefighters risk their lives to protect the forest and our homes. Because of the intense physical requirement, firefighters are at risk of sudden cardiac deaths and rhabdomyolysis, among many other risks.3
Additionally, the frequent and worse wildfires we’re experiencing due to climate change every year make the duties of firefighters even harder.
Despite the increasing demands of the job, wildland firefighters do not get the pay they deserve. As seasonal workers, from July to November, they only have health benefits for a few months in the year, and they are left exposed during the winter months. They have no health care and no additional benefits during the off-season.3 And Senator Sinema wants to cut their pay even further with no additional benefits.
With increased wildfires due to climate change and the dire need for more workers in the wildland firefighting forces, we must pay our firefighters fairly for the risk they are taking for our communities.
Tell Congress to oppose Sinema's bill that aims to cut firefighter pay. Congress must ensure firefighters are paid fairly!
Sources:
- White House, “Statement by President Joe Biden on Increasing Federal Firefighter Pay,” June 21, 2022.
- The Intercept, “Sinema Bill on Firefighter Pay is 'Slap in the Face' to Workers Battline Blazes,” July 28, 2023.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Fighting Wildfires,” May 10, 2023.
- Los Angeles Times, “Op-Ed: Don’t just cheer wildland firefighters as heroes. Give them affordable healthcare,” June 20, 2020.